FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Ana Karina Vivas
(617) 534-2821
avivas@bphc.org
First West Nile Virus-Positive Mosquitoes of the Season Detected in Boston
BPHC advises residents to avoid mosquito bites and mosquito-proof their homes
BOSTON – Tuesday, July 11, 2017 ¬- The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) today announced that a mosquito pool in Roslindale has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). Although there have been no recorded human cases of mosquito-borne illnesses in Boston this year, BPHC advises residents to prevent mosquito bites and protect their homes by using window screens and emptying standing water.
WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito infected with the virus, but it poses very low risk to most people. The risk can be further reduced by using insect repellant when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn and, when possible, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Residents should also mosquito-proof their homes by making sure that their window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside. To help prevent mosquitoes from breeding, BPHC advises residents to empty standing water from flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, discarded tires, and birdbaths on a regular basis.
The City of Boston, in partnership with the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project, has placed larvicide in catch basins and wetlands, a process designed to reduce the mosquito population. Targeted, truck-mounted aerosol spraying is also performed to help control the mosquito population in certain areas of Boston.
If residents have any questions related to the spraying or any questions on mosquitoes, they may call the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project at (781) 899-5730. For more information on sprayings, please visit bphc.org/mosquitocontrol
For more information on mosquito-borne illness, call the Boston Public Health Commission at (617) 534-5611 or visit bphc.org/mbi
About the Boston Public Health Commission
The Boston Public Health Commission, the country’s oldest health department, is an independent public agency providing a wide range of health services and programs. It is governed by a seven-member board of health appointed by the Mayor of Boston.
Public service and access to quality health care are the cornerstones of our mission – to protect, preserve, and promote the health and well-being of all Boston residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable. The Commission’s more than 40 programs are grouped into six bureaus: Child, Adolescent & Family Health; Community Health Initiatives; Homeless Services; Infectious Disease; Recovery Services; and Emergency Medical Services.
Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Ave, Second Floor, Boston, MA 02118